Take a look…

Gallery Spotlight on LiveDaily.com – http://www.livedaily.com/news/mika-gallery-spotlight-seattle-wa-oct-26-2009-20533.html

[miniflickr photoset_id=”72157622568724251″]

flickr slideshow – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622568724251/show/

For more on Mika
http://www.mikasounds.com/
http://www.myspace.com/mikamyspace
http://twitter.com/mikasounds

Photos are on LiveDaily.com here accompanying the review of the MoF LA show – http://livedaily.com/news/monsters-of-folk-tickets-and-tour-dates-live-review-monsters-of-folk-in-los-angeles-ca-20435.html

full flickr set – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622604314230/detail/

Anywho, I spent this last weekend down in LaLa-land, aka Los Angeles, specifically in West Hollywood, with a side of the beach and the hills surrounding during the day…

Decided to stay in that part of town, because had made my trip to correspond with a fun show! The Lovehammers, an established band out of Chicago, were going to have a west coast CD release party for their new CD – Heavy Crown, at the Key Club…sounded fun! So I ventured down to the land of the beautiful and boyant, to visit with my friends Vicki and Cheryl…met a bunch of fun people in addition, not to mention most of the Lovehammers at a meet and mingle listening party the next day at a tattoo parlor over in Hollywood proper…Marty is TALL…of course it may be because I was wearing flats…cute flats, but none the less…

He is also so sweet looking, polite and and just cute! While many remember him as the mad conductor on stage as the popular vote getter from the inaugural season of the Rockstar (INXS) series…and many fans of him for years as the lead of the Lovehammers, and the many added fans during his recent turn with the LA Guns…in person, he just comes across as a really nice, tall skinny, normal guy. Who is cute…not deathly hot – though I KNOW some may disagree…but sweet. I spent a lot of time watching him at the listening party, how he interacted with people, and his demeanor…I am a watcher after all—I think this is why I kind of love the photography…anyway, I was really captured by this. The few brief moments where my one friend and I said hi and introduced ourselves only underscored this.

I won’t forget Billy either, or should I say Bill? As all the LH were wandering and chatting amongst everyone, my friend Cheryl grabbed him and asked him to take a picture with us…and he seemed SO happy to…Very nice guy…I think they all are…Dino and Bobby not to be excluded…….it’s so weird how much alike they look…yet so different…Embarrassingly enough, I believe my friend told Bobby I thought he was the hottest LH…I mean he IS…but eeshers……lol…I think I encouraged her…needless to say, it was an open bar evening……………

All of that said…I came to LA as a mini break vacation…to hang out with friends, catch some good music, and have fun… But because the Key Club, happens to have an open camera policy, and I never leave home with out mine…I snapped off some shots between sips of Cosmos, come eventual diet Cokes this evening…from across the room…perhaps no earth shattering shots…but it reminded me why I love to shoot music…just for fun. It really doesn’t matter that they are gritty and a bit grainy…it was fun to hang out and not care overmuch…to me watching music, listening…I listen a lot with my eyes…visuals mean A LOT to me, and I KNEW the Lovehammers would not disappoint…after all Marty Casey is one of the most charismatic front guys out there…he really should be a super star…most guys on stage to NOT give all of that…they just don’t…I am not an uber fan…but I have seen enough various live acts and seen Marty enough to know he is the EXCEPTION not the rule when it comes to stage presence…very few have that raw, yet controlled power that demand your rapt attention. In some ways, it almost doesn’t matter what comes out of his mouth…though I have to say, what I heard last Friday was a much more refined sound than what I had heard from the Lovehammers, and/or Marty previously…perhaps it’s more mature music? Though it included many from their past CD’s…maybe it was the added second guitar and keyboards? There was more depth to the sound, and vocally, Marty’s voice just sounded smoother…not screechy/screamy in the least…or maybe it was just a better sound system? No idea…but it was a great show. My only complaint was that the lighting for their headlining set, was severely back lit, with few flashes of front spots…so it was really hard to expose from back of the house! lol…It’s all about me, isn’t it?!!??! kidding…

Anyways, here’s a few of the images from the evening…

flickr set – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622346564093/detail/

For more on the Lovehammers – http://lovehammers.com/
For more on Marty – http://martycasey.com/

Next up a few shots from around the town, beach etc…Love LA!

xoxo
~Elisa

In the time since I last saw them live, in Baltimore, MD 2006…they have changed their style a bit, performance wise…a bit darker…Toby does not Kangarilla around as much… He looks to be lean, yet still well muscled, lol…well displayed by the wifebeater tank he is sporting through most of the images I have featured…

They have an Austrailian release out and available, “Nowhere left to Hide”

They have taken up current residence(read extended visit) in LA…and I was lucky enough to catch their closing set at the after show at the Lovehammers(blog on them next) west coast  CD release party…

I had planned on coming to LA visit with some friends and catch the Lovehammers. I was pleasantly surprised when a few days before I left, Juke Kartel announced they would also be performing…

The Key Club has fun lights, so even though I set up residence back by the bar, I decided to snap off some shots…They are colorful, if a bit grainy, but hey texture isn’t a horrible thing…it tells you what kind of night it was…

Good looking boys…check them out…

Flickr set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622346760815/detail/

For more on Juke Kartel, http://www.myspace.com/jukekartel

Not even joking…

Not to me personally, mind you…but to the room at large. And he meant girl boobies…I think he wants to get some…I had pulled back from my front position to get some longer shots, and I think a guy must have shown him his, and Justin was like, uhm I already have those, seen those……………

LOL…Justin Tranter, possibly the funniest, raunchiest, most charismatic, gender bending madman I have ever seen, fronting a rock band…

Oh, and he wears heels to DIE FOR~seriously! Stillettos…helloooooo lova!

And, AND…he changes on stage…I was front and center there to shoot Semi Precious Weapons (Tranter’s band) as they opened for the Seattle date of the Perez Hilton Tour…and between the second and third song or thereabouts, he lays down in front of me, and strips! lmao…SERIOUSLY…well first he pulls off his dress standing back to the crowd, only wearing tights with everything tucked away appropriately…………….

Then he lays down, to undo his boots and don his fresh outfit of Marylin Monroe printed leggings a somewhat raggy tank, and another pair of shiny stillettos, booties this time(versus the boots)…….Stands back up, and continues on…

As he was changing, I knew I couldn’t really get any usable shots of him – read not indecent, lol…whilst changing, so I shot the rest of the band, who were going crazy…an energetic band for sure…but it is Justin that holds the room rapt…who tells everyone that they will just have to fuck w/the lights on because the lighting peeps won’t turn them down…etc etc…he just wants everyone to have a fucking good time, or a good time fucking?!?!? either one, I am sure…………

Anywho, all that is to say, this was my first time seeing Semi Precious Weapons (SPW) live, and seeing the living breathing fabulousness that is Justin Tranter in the flesh – beyond the great images of my favorite concert photog, Todd Owyoung…who’s images, btw, were in the lead video intro to SPW’s entry to the stage…the fab promo and live shots, that I knew as soon as I saw them…who’s images they were….those images are why I made sure I was there to shoot this night…

I haven’t been 100% lately, a bit of a cold, so didn’t stay for the whole show…but SPW may be the most engaging opening act I have ever seen…certainly they could rival most headliners…for those that hadn’t seen/heard of them before…GO SEE! They are opening again, later this month for the Sounds this time, 10/27 at the Showbox. These guys, and Justin, are something you have to see live…live from NYC…serious fuck you glamourously in your face rock and roll….

Select images of the band on LiveDaily.com
http://www.livedaily.com/photos/?p=Hilton+Tour+2009

But Justin, Mr Tranter…he sure is something…

flickr set:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622368343431/detail/

For more on SPW – http://www.myspace.com/semipreciousweapons

Some goodies from my weekender in the Hollywood, SOON!

xoxo

~Elisa

]]> http://www.photosbyelisa.com/2009/10/justin-tranter-says-show-me-your.html/feed 1 http://www.photosbyelisa.com/2009/09/collective-soul-closes-tour-at-the-moore.html http://www.photosbyelisa.com/2009/09/collective-soul-closes-tour-at-the-moore.html#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:09:26 +0000 http://photosbyelisa.com/blog/?p=551 Collective Soul…closing their current set of dates here in Seattle…(next set comes up soon in new locales)

A set of lookers for sure…

I have several friends that are big fans, and have been hearing about them for years. When I saw they had a tour date due to hit Seattle, I knew I would try to shoot it. As well, at the time, one of the openers was scheduled to be one of my fave musicians that I follow, Ryan Star…

Unfortunately, due to health reasons, Ryan was unable to make the Seattle show…

But alas, I was still in attendance and able to capture some of my favorite live concert images to date of this striking (and well sounded) band…

Photos are featured in LiveDaily.com’s Gallery Spotlight:
http://livedaily.com/news/20152.html

Some of my faves…

For more on Collective Soul
http://www.collectivesoul.com/

As well, they frequent their Twitter – and they follow, and tweet, back:)
http://twitter.com/collective_soul

~Elisa

Yes, the answer to on Facebook friends question: They are still alive…

Seriously though, they are a group, that whilst playing the songs from their heyday, harks back to why New Wave music, etc, was so cool…and is. Because it sounds great.

The guys, still in relatively fine form, are back…alas, all dressed in black w/no backdrop or stage lights – thanks(not), but at least good front lighting to capture some of the fun…

Believe it or not, the drummer was actually the most well lit of the bunch!

They are currently on tour with Happy Mondays, coming to a theatre near you…

I caught up with them at one of the tours inagural shows at the Moore…

Photos are featured on LiveDaily.com’s Gallery Spotlight:
http://livedaily.com/news/20137.html

Here are a few…

Flickr sets:
Psychedelic Furs – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622276974011/detail/
Happy Mondays – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622276827895/detail/

xoxo
~Elisa

I think this describes her music, the show, and the final images, processed here to black & white…

I don’t do a pure b/w process much these days…but it seemed more than called for, to illustrate Bat for Lashes…a literal lack of light…lot’s of grain…at first I thought, the images were trash…

Don’t get me wrong, the show was interesting, packed, sweaty, and pushed to the max…but the images…just weren’t wow, on initial review…

Then, a bug in the ear, re: black and white treatment, and I am like, you think? I try not to use black and white as a crutch…but sometimes, it’s just the right thing…

LiveDaily selections in color:
http://www.livedaily.com/photos/?p=two+suns

For more on Bat for Lashes:
http://www.myspace.com/batforlashes
http://www.batforlashes.com/

Some fun gigs coming up in September – http://photosbyelisa.com/upcoming-concert-shoots

~Elisa

LOL…well plenty of folks did…I had never seen them live, so I was, to put it mildly, taken a bit by surprise by the sheer “spectacle”…not to mention the the excess energy of their mosh pit–again, who knew???

Ok, let’s be honest, the concept of the name, “The Flaming Lips”, to most people is blatantly obvious…but honestly, and I almost am embarassed to admit it…I never thought about it…but the opening sequence of images on their massive light screen back drop left NOTHING to the imagination, with the glowing, ie “flaming” hotspot between a legs splayed female form……yes, those “lips”, lmao…I guess you just have to hit me over the head with such…and well, they did…not to mention the massive ball of madness that Wayne (lead) enters the opening fray via…………

…there was not a let up in the entire evening…not even the more somber version of Taps (yes, the funeral anthem) played in tribute to still passing soldiers…….the spectacular, was unending…The Lips seem a neverending band of bang on energy…perhaps despite the latter day, hippie vibe…or maybe because of it?

The herbal scent was heavy…and much commented on from the stage as well…the fog floating throught the air was not just from machines……just saying…

Altogether a glorious perfect night at the gorgeous Marymoor Park Amphitheatre…with…THE FLAMING LIPS…

Images FEATURED on LiveDaily.com:
http://www.livedaily.com/news/19937.html

Some more of my favorites:

Highly recommend joining the madness and catching this tour if it hits your town…

Flickr set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157621995774573/detail/

For more on The Flaming Lips:
http://www.flaminglips.com/
http://www.myspace.com/flaminglips
http://twitter.com/theflaminglips
http://www.facebook.com/flaminglips

I rented the luscious 300mm 2.8 and toted along a monopod for the festivities…I think in all it was pretty successful! I threw on my shorter lenses for a few contextual wide shots…and there you have it…

In all musically, all the acts rocked the gorgeous Amphitheatre down at White River (Auburn, WA)…bands featured outside the main venue on the “Monster” stage, and the Main stage, where the headliners etc, inclusive but not limited to the name sakes, Motley Crue…

Select images are FEATURED on LiveDaily.com
http://www.livedaily.com/news/19770.html

Bands Featured in my frames are:
Motley Crue
Godsmack
Drowning Pool
Charm City Devils
Theory of a Deadman
16 Second Stare

Here’s a few of my faves:

Flickr set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157621761718987/detail/

For more on the event also read/check out some of the images from my fellow photogs covering the event:
http://www.mvpcompany.com/?p=82
http://www.myspace.com/savoiaphotographylive – Motley Crue
http://www.myspace.com/savoiaphotographylive – Crue Fest – other

Fun, if a hot scorcher of a shoot!

For what’s next, check:
http://photosbyelisa.com/upcoming-concert-shoots/